The Korean War was a three year civil war between South Korea (democratic) and the the Communist North Koreans, lasted from June 25, 1950 to July 23, 1953. The war started when the Soviet influenced North Koreans, led by Kim IL Sung, sent nearly 75,000 men across the 38th parallel. At the time the 38th parallel was the line dividing the North and South. Soon after the war had began the Peoples Republic Of China gave military forces to the North along with aid wile at the same time the US Joined the fight along side the South Koreans.
In mid-September of 1950 the US launched a huge amphibious assault on Inchon destroying the North's defenses and and pushing far into North Korea. Then suddenly when the United Nations thought they had won the fight the Chinese launched a massive counter attack that drove the South all the way back past the 38th parallel. The fighting suddenly turned into a bloody stalemate lasting two years. The US stationed off shore posed a huge threat to the North Koreans and the Chinese, wile they constantly bombed the area with naval strikes and air strikes. Three years after the Korean War had begun the UN and North Korea signed an armistice creating an armistice line just North of the 38th parallel and also a two mile wide demilitarized zone between the North and South. Though nether side won the war the US was successful by halting the spread of Communism east of China.
Overall 178,426 were killed on the UN's side, 40,000 of which were US soldiers, wile 752,282 were killed on the North's. Over 2.5 million civilians were killed. During the war US General MacArthur attempted to go to an all out war with the Chinese in what he said they could stop Communism. MacArthur sent a letter proposing his ideas to Joseph Martin because he knew he would leak it to the press and possibly start a war with China. Though for Truman this was his last straw and he fired MacArthur for insubordination on April 11. In Korea the civilian death rate exceeded those of both WWII and the Vietnam wars combined, being one of the bloodiest wars in history. 
Cordel Bever
Sources:
- http://www.history.com/topics/korean-war
- http://history.state.gov/milestones/1945-1952/korean-war-2
- http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/events/kowar/kowar.htm
